Artists do[ugh]ing it for ourselves

We are an artist collective: Narture CIC, nurturing the arts, respecting nature. 

We bake real bread to earn the dough to fund art projects in our experimental bakery/kitchen called BREAD at 3 Cathcart Street Ayr.

Our goal is facilitating participatory arts and cultural activities which local communities can engage with, enlivening empty shops and spaces in Ayr.  We have funding in place to run projects in our art space DOUGH at 22 Sandgate until the end of August, but require further funds to continue our programme. Each £3500 we can raise allows us to fund the next month's participatory programme. Our objective is to raise funding to schedule exhibitions, workshops and talks through to December 2021.

Our project is part of the Creative Scotland Crowdmatch- we are 1 of 20 successful creative projects in Scotland that have the opportunity to win a share of £75,000 in match funding, up to £10,000 per project. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/funds/creative-scotland-crowdmatch  

Through a unique vision across gastronomy, arts and sciences we aim to reanimate the vacant shops in our historic town, starting with The Old Tourist Information Office at 22 Sandgate Ayr, which we named DOUGH. Our goal is to commission contemporary artists and artisanal producers to create inspirational new digital and physical artworks, to show these spaces enlivened for a post-pandemic, post-retail future. We plan to develop exciting experiential retail and cultural tourism to attract people back, and restore vibrancy to the heart of our historic town. 

Narture evolved organically from previous projects including FreshAyr and Bread Arts Lab, pop up events aimed at encouraging creativity in Ayr town centre. We took over empty retail spaces and invited artists from different genres to generate artworks, highlighting the potentials of how we can use town centres.

These projects created professional practice opportunities for emerging artists and improved the quality of life for various groups - including children and young people, LGBTQI+ communities and the general public through the benefits of cultural engagement.

Narture was co-founded by father and daughter team, Robert and Saskia Singer, who are both artists with a passion for food and art. Encouraged by the success of their previous projects, they decided to open an experimental bakery/kitchen called BREAD at 3 Cathcart Street in Ayr’s historic quarter.

Narture then acquired neighbouring property 22 Sandgate which they named DOUGH as a permanent arts space to host a variety of artistic and cultural events. Although both locations were meticulously renovated by the father and daughter team, the spaces have not been put into full use due to pandemic restrictions. 

In the short period that the experimental bakery/kitchen was fully open, the enterprise proved to be a success, with the local community loving the concept. Narture has now attracted a collective of artists and keen local interest to develop it towards a sustainable future.

"Narture bakes the best sourdough bread I've found to date, even beating my previous favourite Poilâne, which I found in London and Paris.  As for the baguettes, a good baguette is hard to find and Narture’s baguettes are excellent!" Ann L

"Narture’s art initiative's so far has been excellent for my personal development as a young artist because it has got me thinking about my practice in a more professional context while engaging with other creatives. I think it has the potential to be a really brilliant resource for recently graduated creatives and the wider community as a whole. Rosa M" -Resident Writer/Poet at Narture

DOUGH is Narture's initial creative space where we are scheduling a programme of socially engaged exhibitions, talks and workshops looking at food and art through the lens of artists, crafts people and artisan makers. Socially engaged practice involves people and communities in debate, collaboration and social interaction.

For individuals, art provides purposeful daily interaction, enhancing creativity and critical thinking. Art also facilitates relationship building, empathy and understanding between individuals, fostering social capital by creating bonds among people of similar interests and bridging lines of difference.

By supporting this project you will be providing paid employment for artists to use their skills, enlivening empty spaces through participatory exhibitions, workshops, talks and live streaming events. With a focus on creativity and critical thinking, mindful of our core objectives of inclusion, equality, diversity and sustainability for all.

Our project of Artists d[ough]ing it for ourselves aims to have long term benefits for creative and local communities, in reimagining Ayr as a vibrant market town with experiential retail and cultural tourism.  

Please check out our variety of rewards at the right side of this page, below is a couple that are on offer!
                                             Bread Sample Box

                         Bread Making Kit & hand screen printed bread bag

                                  V&A Dundee Plus One Membership

*Please note some rewards depend on COVID restrictions lifting but have a year validity within specific claim dates, please email us for more information at [email protected]

Your support is truly appreciated, please let us know if you have any questions by contacting us at [email protected].